Colin didn’t particularly want me to post pictures of his rank test, but he reluctantly gave his permission to post a few. Rank tests are, shall we say, interesting. We were talking about them and, try as you may, they aren’t often about perfect form or the absolute best stances, though that is what we are trying for (our horse stances at the end of the test feel deep and solid, when you look at the photos, they are far from deep). Rank tests, in my vast experience, are first of all about survival, about making it to the end, about not dying! They are also about remembering and performing all of the things that you have learned in karate up to this point. They are about self-doubt, sweat, and finally about doing something that maybe you didn’t think you would be able to do.

All that to say, I thought Colin did amazing at his Purple Belt Test and I am very proud of him to come back from an injury, face a rank test by himself after a full day of work, and do really well.

I was also super pleased to be on the outside looking in and being able to take photos.